The present invention relates to a multifunctional hip brace.
Hip braces consisting of a wrapping structure of elastic fabric provided with a lumbar band and with a thigh band adapted to be wrapped and closed about the waist and about a thigh (either right or left) of a patient are typically used for the post-surgical treatment of the hip or for the instability control of the femoroacetabular joint even in patients that have not undergone surgery. Such elastic hip braces are hereinafter referred to as “light hip braces” or simply as hip braces.
US 2010/0292622 A1 document shows an example of a light hip brace according to the preamble of claim 1, entirely made of elastic fabric, specifically devoid of rigid rod elements.
Other light hip braces may at most be laterally provided with one or more spiral stays, which are incorporated in the elastic fabric and which differ from the more complex and bulky rigid hip braces consisting of rigid lumbar and thigh shells joined by an articulated rod and that find application in particular in traditional post-surgery.
Light hip braces, though helping reducing the post-surgical edema, particularly in arthroscopic surgery, are often deemed to be insufficient, in particular as regards the control of the position of the joint and of the movements.
However, the spread of hip arthroscopy surgery has made these light braces particularly interesting, provided that they solve the need for movement control.